Yellow Drawing

Shunga 春画 “spring pictures / brush strokes” Ukiyo-e 浮世絵 “pictures of the floating worlds” This work is inspired by Japanese Shunga, a special type of Ukiyo-e, woodblock prints with erotic subject. As it is common at the Far East, because of the language but also the delicacy of ancient culture and spiritual knowledge, everything has poetic expression which gives one insight into the deeper meaning of the word. For example, word Shunga 春画 literary translated means ”the spring picture” or ”brush strokes of the spring” where spring represents erotic sentiment. The word originated from Chinese medical books. Most Shungas are usually executed in woodblock print format, called Ukiyo-e 浮世絵 which literary means “pictures of the floating worlds” giving the understanding of the ephemeral nature of the picture, but also of the life represented by the picture. Furthermore, Shunga was printed and bound as a book used not only for pleasure but also for educational purposes, even as a charm against evil. Since, at the time Shunga artists did not have so many restrictions common for Japanese Ukiyo-e they could use variety of colours not seen in usual woodblock prints. The best techniques of Ukiyo-e are found in Shunga which is highly appreciated as artistic, erotic, profound and fun at the same time.